


Six Scenes from Three Years

by feverbeats



Category: White Collar
Genre: F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-08-31
Updated: 2010-08-31
Packaged: 2017-10-11 09:27:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,710
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/110884
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/feverbeats/pseuds/feverbeats
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"Where's your boyfriend, Caffrey?"</p>
            </blockquote>





	Six Scenes from Three Years

"The FBI's onto you," Kate says.

"The FBI is _definitely_ onto you," Mozzie says.

That's where it starts.

Neal doesn't think much of it at first—The FBI's been onto him before, and he's always managed to lie and trick his way out of just about any accusation.

The first time he actually catches a glimpse of the guy on his trail, they're at a fancy-dress party on the Upper East Side, Neal attending in order to swipe some papers from a rival, the agent presumably attending to keep tabs on Neal. Neal rounds a pillar, catches sight of a guy in a suit, and stops breathing. He's seen blurry surveillance footage of the agent on Mozzie's recording devices, but seeing him in person is different. _Burke, Peter Burke_, Neal reminds himself. Burke's suit doesn't fit very well and he looks hassled. He's also ridiculously attractive. Neal's never seen someone carry himself with so much power and assurance.

He avoids Burke for the rest of the night, but he's still distracted enough to slip up on his mission.

*

It gets worse, over time. One night, Burke follows him to an art show that he was honestly just attending for fun. Neal's looking at an expensive painting, so engrossed that he doesn't even notice Burke come up behind him.

"Having fun?" There's a heavy emphasis on fun.

Neal spins, realizing he hasn't ever heard the man speak before, and that his voice isn't quite what Neal expected. It sends unfair chills down his spine.

"Yeah, actually, I was," he says. "Is that a crime?" He adds that just to throw in Burke's face, because he can. He's got a right to be cocky. They have nothing on him.

Burke's mouth tightens. "Not yet," he says. "But I'll have my eye on you." He points at Neal.

Neal's knees practically go weak. "I look forward to it."

The worst part is, he does look forward to it. He's always been bored or, at most, irritated when the FBI's investigated him before, but now this stupid agent in his awkward suit has made Neal's life so much more exciting. Neal knows that Burke could turn up anywhere, frowning and asking questions and playing the role of boring agent so well that Neal nearly believes it.

He doesn't quite believe it, though. He starts doing research.

*

It's a Sunday night, almost midnight, when Mozzie knocks on the door of his secondary hideout.

"You," Mozzie announces, striding into the room when Neal opens the door, "are hopeless."

"What?" Neal asks, spreading his hands carelessly. He's feeling pretty good right now, and he's not going to let Mozzie ruin his mood.

"What are you doing right now?" Mozzie asks, glancing around the room. He catches sight of Neal's open laptop. "Ah-_hah_. Need I say more?"

"Come on, Moz." Neal feels a little sheepish, though. "So I'm researching the guy. He's trying to put me in jail. It's not exactly weird."

Mozzie shakes his head, looking desolate. "I feel betrayed. And I'm sure Kate wouldn't be too happy either."

The reasons Kate wouldn't be happy are complicated, and they're probably more to do with the fact that Burke is FBI than with the fact that Neal's obsessing. But Mozzie understands how things with Kate are, so Neal lets it go. "It's nothing. I just want to know what I'm up against."

That lie works for a few months, until Peter starts showing up and _ordering_ Neal to give himself up.

*

"I'm onto you," Elizabeth says.

Peter is instantly worried. Oh God, it could be any of a number of things, none of which he did on purpose, really. Is it about the toothpaste? The other day when he was late? The birthday present he hid in their closet? He knows better by now than to suggest any of these, though. "Hm?"

Elizabeth laughs. "Don't look so worried, honey. I just worked out why you've been in such a good mood lately."

Peter isn't sure that he's actually been in such a good mood lately. He's felt tense and on-edge ever since taking the Caffrey case. "Why's that?"

Elizabeth smiles and slings her legs over his, shifting so she's lying lengthways on the couch. "It's this Neal Caffrey thing."

Assuming that El usually knows him better than he knows himself, Peter just says, "Yeah?"

"Yeah." She does that little thing with her mouth that's so gorgeous, and does she even _know_ how amazing she is, even when she's making fun of him? "You love a challenge. And I know you haven't been feeling challenged lately, but this is different. You light up when you get information on him."

Peter pats her foot awkwardly, not knowing what to say. "Yeah, well, I'll be _lighting up_ a lot more when I catch the guy." Not if, _when_. "Neal's good. Really good."

"Neal?" Elizabeth asks. "You're on a first-name basis now?" She sounds pleased, though, teasing.

Peter won't be deterred. "And he's always _taunting_ me. Do you know, the other day, he sent me a letter? At work?" When Jones threw the letter on his desk, Peter was furious, angrier than the letter probably deserved. The tone was infuriating, though, conversational and easy, asking Peter about his day and what he had for lunch. There was a bizarre earnestness about it that he hadn't unraveled yet.

Elizabeth covers her mouth like she's trying not to laugh. "Maybe he has a crush on you, honey."

"Yeah, right," Peter says dismissively. "Well, if he does, he should just turn himself in."

"To be handcuffed by a big, strong FBI agent?" Elizabeth asks. She curls her toes in what might be a suggestive manner. "I can see how that sort of power would be attractive to him." She slides a hand up Peter's arm.

Peter's never been any good at dirty talk, and this is just completely beyond him. "El, I thought we agreed no work talk in—you know, at home."

Elizabeth laughs, sounding delighted. "Okay. No work talk."

*

The first one to call Neal out about Burke isn't Mozzie or even Kate. It's Matthew Keller, one of Neal's least favorite people in the world. He calls Neal out on it a year after Neal's first glimpse of Burke, and he does it while pointing a gun at Neal's head, which is completely uncalled-for. It's not Neal's fault he's better at what he does than Keller is.

Neal's feeling pretty good about the situation with the gun, because he has an escape route on the way, thanks to Kate, but then Keller turns up his lip in a sneer and says, "Where's your boyfriend, Caffrey?"

"Mozzie's at home, but I'll tell him you missed him," Neal fires back automatically.

Keller laughs and tilts the gun a little. "Oh, nice. I'll bet your girlfriend loves that one."

Neal is pretty sure he doesn't have to explain his sexuality to Keller, so he just gives an expressive shrug, keeping his eyes on the gun.

"But that's not what I meant," Keller returns, shifting the gun back level. "I meant the agent who's on your trail. You know, the one who made you his _bitch_."

Neal feels a little cold. He can't fucking focus with the gun in his face, and he's not ready to fight about this. Even he isn't sure what Peter is yet, and when did he start calling him Peter in his head? "I don't know what you're talking about, Keller."

"I'll bet you don't. Everyone knows, you know. Everyone in our circle is talking about how you send him cards and know his favorite suit and leave him chocolate."

Neal is about to say that the last one isn't true, but then he remembers a month ago and shuts up. "You should put the gun down," he says.

"You should give me the painting," Keller says. "Why are you fucking around with an FBI agent, anyway?"

"I'm not fucking around with him." Neal tries to keep his voice level. Since Peter got enough evidence to actually put him away—about five months into their relationship—Neal's had to actively avoid him, in fact. Being on the run isn't that much fun. "I'm just taunting him. That's allowed, right?"

Keller steps a little closer, still holding the gun steady. "You are so _messed up_, Caffrey."

Neal shuts his eyes and waits for Kate.

*

Neal's breathing is harsh and shuddery, and Peter can see him literally trembling. "Neal," he says sharply.

It's been roughly three years since Peter took the case, and now Neal Caffrey is kneeling in front of him, unarmed, defenseless, and with a massive body of evidence against him.

Neal's head comes up slowly, but he doesn't stand. "Yeah?" He's been running, and the moon highlights the sheen of his skin. Behind him, the dock creaks loudly.

Peter feels a smile tug at the edge of his lips. "I finally chase you down after three years and you can't even pay attention?"

Neal huffs a tiny, miserable laugh, catching his breath. The moonlight makes his skin look washed out, nearly black and white. Peter's heart won't slow down. "Are you going to come quietly?"

Neal stands, still shaky. "You know I'm not."

Peter lunges for him, still winded, but ready to make the extra strain worth it. Neal twists in his grasp, but not enough, making a sound in the back of his throat. Peter ends up half crouched, locking Neal's arms behind his back.

"Oh, God," Neal says under his breath. He shudders hard. He's been running for way too long.

"I'm going to cuff you," Peter says, his voice low and hard.

Neal goes taut, not quite struggling, just holding himself as if he's about to bolt. "Yeah," he mutters. "I thought you might."

Peter pins Neal's arms hard with one of his while he gets his handcuffs from his belt. Neal doesn't even try to escape. "Done trying to get away?" Peter murmurs. They way they're positioned, he's practically whispering into Neal's ear as he snaps the cuffs on.

"Not a chance," Neal breathes, barely audible. But he's gone weak against Peter.

The moment stretches out. The metal of the handcuffs is cold under Peter's hands.


End file.
